NOTE: It is a good sign that Nancy Pelosi’s rhetoric is changing. It shows that the political winds are blowing toward single payer. Pelosi is likely to face a challenge for the House Speaker position if the Democrats take the majority in the House this fall. Our tasks are to keep building momentum for National Improved Medicare for All and to be clear about what we mean by National Improved Medicare for All. We can be certain that members of Congress will try to look like they support Medicare for All while proposing plans that are incremental or that maintain a prominent role for private health insurers and for-profit health facilities. We must oppose these. – Margaret Flowers

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said Thursday that “Medicare for All” proposals should be “evaluated” if Democrats win back the House this year, adding “it’s all on the table.”

Pelosi has long backed a public option for health insurance, but has not supported going further — as many Democrats want — and setting up government-run, universal health insurance.

The Democratic leader did not explicitly endorse the idea of Medicare for All during a press conference Wednesday, but she also did not rule out the proposal.

“I’ve always been for a public option so I’m always eager to talk about that,” Pelosi said when asked if Democrats would advance a public option or Medicare for All legislation if they win the House.

“Some of the other issues that have been proposed have to be evaluated in terms of the access that they give, the affordability of it and how we would pay for it, but again it’s all on the table,” she added.

Last year, Pelosi pushed back on the idea of Medicare for All, saying, “the comfort level with a broader base of the American people is not there yet.”

Medicare for All has been gaining traction among Democrats in recent years. The idea, championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), is now favored by many potential 2020 Democratic presidential contenders.

Many Democratic House candidates in battleground districts support the idea as well, which Republicans think will be a liability for them.

“When they come to Congress, any of those subjects can be on the table,” Pelosi said.

She defended the current Affordable Care Act as well.

“We believe in the Affordable Care Act, that it has the structure to take us forward in many different ways,” she said.